Display stand

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a display stand of the type commonly found in department stores which has two general forms known as wall cases and gondolas. This type of display stand has a base or platform having a height of about 6 or 8 inches from the floor. The base customarily has a base nose which has the general form of a longitudinally extending, rounded off protrusion extending from the upper portion of the base. Beneath or behind the base nose is a kick plate which, in conjunction with the base nose, forms a toe space. The invention is directed to a construction or arrangement in which it is optional for the kick plate to be installed in one way so as to be supported by the floor or in another way so as to be supported by base arms which in effect form the structural frame for the base.

United States Patent 1151 3,698,567 Fenwick 1451 Oct. 17, 1972 DISPLAY STAND Primary Examiner-Marion Parsons, Jr. Inventor: y G. Fenwick, AlbertLea, Minn- Qttffney-Ahn C. Rose, Walter R. Thiel and Alfred ev1ne [73] Assignee: Streater Industries, Inc., Albert Lea,

Minn. [57] ABSTRACT Filedi y 1971 The invention relates to a display stand of the type [21] Appl 7 332 commonly found in department stores which has two general forms known as wall cases and gondolas. This type of display stand has a base or platform having a its}? ill/1831;271:933 height of about 6 or 8 inches from the fleet The base [58] Fieid 177 183, customarily has a base nose which has the general 108/108 [257 M A 7 form of a longitudinally extending, rounded off protruv sion extending from the upper portion of the base. Beneath or behind the base nose is a kick plate which, [56] References Cited in conjunction with the base nose, forms a toe space.

The invention is directed to a construction or arrange- U TE STA S P T ment in which it is optional for the kick plate to be in- 3 081 718 3/1963 Shoffner ..211/148 Stalled in mm way as be SuPlmted by 3:l30:693 4/1964 Shell ..211/148 in another Way as to be Supported by base arms 3,234,700 2/1966 Creveling 52/284 which'in effect form the structural frame for the base. 3,263,821 8/1966 Klene et al ..211/148 3,297,374 1/1967 Radek ..211/148 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures Great Britain; ..52/2 84 PATENTEDBBI 11 m 3.698 567 SHEET 1 0F 3 Q INVENTOR JA Y q. 'FENWICK ATTORNEY PATENTEDnm 1'! 1912 saw 2 or 3 INVEA ITOR I J Y FENW/CK Z- chflp ATTORNEY PATENTEUum 11 1912 3698.567 SHEET 3 or 3 I INVENTOR JA v 4;. FEN W/CK DISPLAY STAND The invention relates to a new and improved display stand of a type commonly found in department stores and which has two general forms known as wall cases and gondolas.

This type of display stand has a base or platform having a height of about 6 or 8 inches from the floor. It is customary to provide a base nose for the platform which has the general form of a longitudinally extending, rounded off protrusion extending from the upper portion of the base. Behind or beneath the base nose is a kick plate which, in conjunction with the base nose, forms a toe space.

In some instances a number of display stands of the type described above may be arranged in a row in a clothing store. If the floor is not substantially level the kick plate of a unit may not be in contact with the floor. This not only gives the display fixtures an unattractive appearance but if a kick plate is not in contact with the floor there is an opportunity for dirt and refuse to accumulate under the fixtures.

It is a main object of the invention to provide a new and improved display stand of the type referred to above in which it is optional whether the kick plate is installed so as to be floating and drop down to conform to the contour of the floor or to be installed so as to be contained or held within the confines of the display stand as determined by the frame of the display stand.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, drawings and appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a wall type display stand of the type to which the inventionis directed;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing one corner of the display stand shown in FIG.

- FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view similar .to FIG. 1 but showing the display stand in an exploded and partially assembled condition;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the kick plate of the display stand; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the kick plate shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown views of a wall type display stand and parts thereof which comprises a pair of slotted, spaced apart vertical standards 4 and 6 separated by and attached to a transversely extending brace member which is not shown. A pair of base arms 8 and 10 are attached to the standards 4 and 6 and the outer ends of the base arms are joined by a kick plate 12. A back board 14 is disposed between the standards 4 and 6 with the board 14 being retained in the illustrated position by reason of being inserted in mutually facing slots in the standards. A base nose 16 extends across the upper portion of the kick plate 12 and is attached to the outer ends of the base arms 8 and 10. A floor panel 18 having rectangular dimensions approximately the same as the rectangularly shaped area defined by base arms 8 and 10 is mounted or attached immediately above the base arms by means which are not shown and which have no bearing on the invention.

Base arms 8 and 10 are identical to each other except that one is the mirror image of the other. A description of one base arm such as base arm 8 will thus also serve as a description of the other base arm 10. The same numerals will be used for the respective parts of both base arms except that the numerals for the base arm 10 have prime designations. This will also be true for brackets 30 and 32 described further on herein. Base arm 8 is of sheet metal construction with a generally rectangular shape and has hooks at the inboard end thereof which are insertable into vertically arranged slots 20 in the vertical standard 4. Base arm 8 has vertically extending flanges 22 and upper and lower horizontally extending flanges 23 and 24, all of which flanges extend laterally inwardly towards the other base arm 10. The vertical flanges 22 and 22' have horizontally extending slots 27 and 27' at their upper ends thereof having the same elevation. The horizontal flanges 23 and 23' have a pair of slots 28 and 28' at their outboard ends.

Base nose 16 may be formed of sheet metal, is longitudinally extending and has a cross section which has a generally semicircular shape. As illustrated, base nose 16 is formed with bends and overlapping portions for both aesthetic and strengthening purposes.

A pair of brackets 30 and 32 are utilized in connection with fastening the base nose 16 to the ends of the base arms 8 and 10. Brackets 30 and 32 are identical to each other except that one is the mirror image of the other and they thus do not have to be described separately. Bracket 30 has a generally semicircular portion 34 and a vertical flange 36 normal thereto. A hook 38 extends horizontally and upwardly from the upper end of the bracket flange 36. By tilting the bracket 30, the hook 38 may be inserted in the flange slot 28 and the hook will then function to hold the bracket in the position indicated in FIG. 2 wherein the bracket flange 36' is in abutting engagement with the base arm flange 22'.

Bracket flange 36' is wider than the base arm flange 22 and has a rectangularly shaped opening 40' having one side thereof aligned with the inner edge of the vertical flange 22 leaving a strip of material adjacent thereto. The strip of material has a crimp 42 projecting in the direction of the flange 22'. Crimp 42 serves to locate and provide lateral stability for the bracket 32.

Brackets 30 and 32 each has a short horizontally extending flange 44 extending inwardly from the upper edge thereof. The flange 44 has a cut out locating tab portion 46 which is inclined upwardly and rearwardly relative to the flange. Brackets 30 and 32 each has a short vertically extending flange 48 and 48 extending inwardly from the outer vertical edge of its midsection.

Base nose 16 is shaped by bending to conform to the contours of the brackets 30 and 32. In general, base nose 16 has elongated horizontal and vertical panels 50 and 52 which have abutting engagement with bracket flanges 44 and 48. The upper edge 54 of base nose 16 has at opposite ends thereof two hooks or tabs 56 and 58 each having horizontally and vertically extending portions. After the brackets 30 and 32 are attached to the base arms 8 and 10 as indicated in FIG. 2 the base nose 16 is attached by tilting it so that the hooks 56 and 58 engage the base arm slots 28 and 28 and then allowing it to pivot until the panel 50 thereof abuts bracket flanges 48 and 48. Base nose panel 50 has rectangularly shaped slots (not visible) at opposite ends thereof having the same nominal widths as the locating tabs 46 and 46' of the bracket flanges 44 and 44 and, with the base nose 16 in its assembled position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the locating tabs 46 and 46' protrude through said slots to locate and provide lateral stability for the base nose relative to the brackets 30 and 32 and the base arms 8 and 10.

Base arm flanges 22 and 22' have hooks 64 and 64 approximately midway between the ends thereof which have horizontally and vertically extending portions. l-Iooks 64 and 64' open upwardly to receive the lower edge 66 of the base nose 16. Enough play or clearance is allowed between the base nose hooks 56 and 58 and the base arm flange slots 28 and 28' so that the base nose 16 may be lifted a small distance in the vertical direction so that the lower edge 66 thereof may clear the hooks 64 and 64 during the assembly and disassembly operations. Hooks 64 and 64' provide vertical support for the base nose 16 while the base nose books 56 and 58 prevent pivotal movement of the base nose relative to the hooks 64 and 64'.

Kick plate 12 has a pair of vertically and rearwardly extending flanges 70 and 71 and upper and lower horizontally and rearwardly extending flanges 74 and 75. Kick plate 12 is installed, as indicated in FIG. 3, inwardly relative to the base arm flanges 22 and 22'. Base arm flanges 23 and 23 are spaced from the base arm flanges 22 and 22' to facilitate the insertion and reception of kick plate 12 with slots 77 and 77 being provided for receiving the flanges 70 and 71 of the kick plate.

Base arms 8 and are provided at their outer ends with kick plate guides 80, 80 and 81, 81' which are formed with suitable dies. These guides receive the base plate flanges 70 and 71. Although base plate flanges 74 and 75 are referred to above for convenience as upper and lower flanges, it is the essence of the invention that the kick plate 12 may be inserted as indicated in FIG. 3, with flange 74 on top, or the kick plate may be turned upside down and inserted in which case the flange 75 would be the upper flange and the flange 74 would be the lower flange. In either case the flanges 74 and 75 would extend rearwardly toward the back board 14.

Kickplate flange 74 is symmetrically spaced relative to the flanges 70 and 71 a distance A on each side as indicated in FIG. 4. Flange 75 is symmetrically spaced relative to the flanges 70 and 71 as distance B on each side as indicated. The width of base arm flange 24, in the disclosed embodiment of the invention, is

somewhat wider than the flange 23 and the flange 24 is.

likewise somewhat wider than the flange 23. The width of the flange 24 (or 24') is greater than the kick plate dimension A and smaller than the kick plate dimension B. The widths of the base arm flanges 23 and 23' are less than the kick plate dimension A. With the above construction and dimensions as described, the insertion of the kick plate 12 as indicated in FIG. 3 will be such that the lower flange will clear the flanges 24 and 24 and descend an added distance so as to come in contact with the floor. If the kick plate is turned upside down the lower flange 74 will not clear the base arm flanges 24 and 24' and will thus be stopped and supported by the flanges 24 and 24.

In the assembly of the fixture the base arms 8 and 10 are first attached to the standards 4 and 6 and the kick plate 12 15 then inserted, as indicated in FIG. 3, m

either desired way such that it rests on the floor or is supported by the base arm flanges 24 and 24, as described above. The brackets 30 and 32, the base nose 16 and the floor panel 18 are then attached, also as described above.

I claim:

1. A display stand comprising a pair of base arms extending in parallel spaced apart vertical planes, said base arms having mutually facing horizontally and vertically extending flanges at their upper and outer edges, a reversible rectangularly shaped kick plate extending between the outer edges of said arms, said kick plate having a pair of flanges extending rearwardly from its vertically extending side edges and first and second flanges extending rearwardly from its horizontally extending edges, said kick plate horizontally extending flanges being reversible upper and lower flanges depending on the position of said kick plate, said kick plate first and second flanges each being spaced from said base arm upper horizontally extending flanges distances greater than the widths of said upper horizontally extending flanges, said kick plate first flange being spaced from said base arm lower horizontally extending flanges distances smaller than the widths of said lower horizontally extending flanges, said kick plate second flange being spaced from said base arm lower horizontally extending flanges distances greater than the widths of said lower horizontally extending flanges, and means for guiding said kick plate to either installed position wherein said kick plate rests on the floor or wherein said kick plate is suspended with said first flange thereof engaging said base arm lower horizontally extending flanges. 

1. A display stand comprising a pair of base arms extending in parallel spaced apart vertical planes, said base arms having mutually facing horizontally and vertically extending flanges at their upper and outer edges, a reversible rectangularly shaped kick plate extending between the outer edges of said arms, said kick plate having a pair of flanges extending rearwardly from its vertically extending side edges and first and second flanges extending rearwardly from its horizontally extending edges, said kick plate horizontally extending flanges being reversible upper and lower flanges depending on the position of said kick plate, said kick plate first and second flanges each being spaced from said base arm upper horizontally extending flanges distances greater than the widths of said upper horizontally extending flanges, said kick plate first flange being spaced from said base arm lower horizontally extending flanges distances smaller than the widths of said lower horizontally extending flanges, said kick plate second flange being spaced from said base arm lower horizontally extending flanges distances greater than the widths of said lower horizontally extending flanges, and means for guiding said kick plate to either installed position wherein said kick plate rests on the floor or wherein said kick plate is suspended with said first flange thereof engaging said base arm lower horizontally extending flanges. 